The Last Post

Mr John Joe Barrett is one postman who cannot deliver to his own house. Since he and his family had to leave their home at Barnacullew, near Pollathomas, five weeks ago, he has only been back briefly to keep the place aired and light the fire.

Ironically, Mr Barrett's home is not one of the high-risk dwellings identified by Mayo County Council following the landslides that forced more than 40 families to seek shelter elsewhere. Of the 42 families who left, 12 are still in temporary accommodation provided by the local authority.

Mr Barrett, his wife, Kathleen, and two younger children, Natalie (18) and Jonathan (12), are staying in Belmullet.

Although the landslides reached Mr Barrett's home and "almost knocked it", he is in the medium-risk category. Cracks have appeared in walls, his sewerage system has sunk and new fissures are appearing every day, he says.

The postman drives to Pollathomas daily to bring his son to school and to do his round. His circuit is normally 40 miles - "on a bicycle, according to An Post!" - but the task is now more complicated, with many roads still blocked. Mayo County Council has "worked very hard to restore roads and bridges", and the Irish Red Cross distributed forms to families this week seeking humanitarian assistance.

The landslide in Derrybrien, south Galway, which occurred a month after Pollathomas/ Glengad, did not occur during any rainfall. The local authority has undertaken an aerial survey of the Slieve Aughty slopes, and has built a series of dams to try and contain the material and prevent pollution of the Lough Cutra system.

Hibernian Wind Energy, which was constructing a 71-turbine, 60 megawatt wind farm on the site, has suspended work for a week, and Coillte, which is felling trees to clear the area as part of the land deal, has removed its machinery from the area. The company has denied that undue pressure was being put on the landscape during foundation work for the turbines.

The Derrybrien Concerned Residents' Association has called for an independent inquiry. Meanwhile, the local authority says any decision to resume work will be one for the company and its contractors, as it is private land.